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Longtime Rapides Parish DA to step down after election

Jodi Belgard, 3:27 p.m. CDT August 20, 2014

James “Jam” Downs decided not to run for a fourth term as Rapides Parish district attorney, setting off what is expected to be one of the most competitive elections in the fall.(Photo: Tia Owens-Powers/ towens@thetowntalk.com)

Thousands of criminal cases have landed on the desk of James "Jam" Downs in the nearly three six-year terms he has served as Rapides Parish District Attorney.

Time and again his colleagues describe him as fair, honest and compassionate.

But, Downs, who is retiring at the end of the year, says he's just doing his job.

Before his stint in public office, Downs was a civil attorney in private practice. He also spent some years as a defense attorney. He moved into the DA's office as an assistant district attorney under the late DA Charlie Wagner. Downs moved up to become Wagner's first assistant, and when Wagner died while in office in 1995, Downs was legally bound to complete Wagner's term.

"The day I was sworn in was a sad day," Downs said. "I would have been perfectly happy if Mr. Wagner's health had improved and he had stayed DA as long as he wanted."

Downs went on to complete Wagner's term, and he twice ran unopposed to serve two more terms.

"I didn't know whether I wanted to run or not," Downs said of his first election. "It was a matter of months before the election. It was a sorrowful time, but I made up my mind to go ahead and offer myself as a candidate."

Downs spoke at length about Wagner's death and the mourning period that ensued. He spoke of his trepidation and his unwavering inability to be a politician.

"I don't have any real faculty for remembering people's names," he said. "I can remember a lot of law cases and legal business. (Because of that) I was never much of a politician."

That may be what made Downs the district attorney he was.

"Over his career, he truly worked as a public servant," Assistant District Attorney Brian Mosley said. "He's one of the most open-minded and fair people I've ever met."

Mary Prestridge has been Downs' secretary for five years. In that time she has developed a deep appreciation for Downs as a person and Downs as boss.

"He is the most honest, fair person that I've ever worked with," she said. "He's easygoing and fair, no matter which side it is. Whoever replaces him will have a large pair of boots to fill."

Downs himself scoffed at the accolades.

"When you retire or when you die, people say a lot of nice things about you," he said. "I think it's hard to look in the mirror and be an accurate judge of yourself. You try to do your best to look at things in a detached, professional way."

That's where the pressure of the job comes in play.

Alexandria Police Chief Loren Lampert began working with Downs in 1997, while Lampert was an assistant district attorney.

"If I had to pick one word to define Jam, it would be 'integrity,'" Lampert said. "I remember him saying once, 'Don't judge me merely by the people I prosecute, but you should also judge me by the courage it takes to not prosecute somebody.'"

As DA, it has been Downs' job to review every criminal case in Rapides Parish and decide whether or not the case goes to trial. It's been his burden to determine whether to put a person and his or her family through the agony of a jury trial, or to give a person a break.

"You have some little girl who's been sexually abused, and a guy who needs trying," Downs said. "(The case) needs to go to trial, but the trauma of the event if this child has to go on the witness stand … and you have a mother and father begging you not to put the child on the stand. But, you can't just let the guy off."

It's that type of decision Downs is faced with on nearly a daily basis.

"Even a defendant has a mother or father or aunt or uncle that loves them and doesn't want to see them subjected to criminal prosecution," Downs said. "They want you to have some mercy or discretion regardless of what the facts are and regardless of the history, no matter how egregious the case is.

"On the one hand you always have the hope that some lesser degree of prosecution will be had, and on the other side you have the victim. That's a tension that's forever — that's the nature of this job. On either side of the equation are decent people."

Downs said it has been difficult at times to leave the job in the courthouse. He cherishes his hobbies — hunting, working in his yard, going to concerts.

"Sometimes this office has serious burdens that come with it," Downs said. "That's a responsibility you can't help but bring home with you, but I try not to do that. I have some interests."

Music keeps him centered and grounded, and there are a few songs in particular with which he shares his burdens.

Bob Dylan's "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" and "Percy's Song."

"Every once in a while, just to remind myself about the responsibility of the decisions I make, I pull out my CDs and listen to them," Downs said.

And, then when those songs are over, he pops in The Allman Brothers Band's "Win, Lose or Draw," a song about being in prison.

"Some people read novels," he said. "I listen to music. It kind of reminds you of the things that are important."

Downs' decision to retire has set off what is expected to be one of the most competitive races in Rapides Parish in the fall election. Qualifying for the election begins today with the election Nov. 4. His successor will take office in January.

"I did everything I could to keep him from retiring," Sheriff William Earl Hilton said.

The pair have been friends, colleagues and hunting buddies for 45 years.

"I think he ran a very, very good office," Hilton said. "He was a compassionate guy when compassion needed to be dished out."

Downs won't retire completely, though.

He will continue to represent the Rapides Parish School Board, and he will pick up his private practice.

As for his successor, he has only a few words of wisdom.

"When you do your job, people who have a vested interest one way or the other, you'll get some pretty hurtful criticism (from them) sometimes," Downs said. "You best not be too sensitive. You best not react to it, and you better not let your emotions guide your decisions."

Qualifying begins Wednesday

Qualifying for Nov. 4 primary elections is Wednesday through Friday.

» Candidates for local races will qualify with their respective parish clerks of court.

» Candidates for U.S. senator, U.S. representative, associate justice of the Supreme Court, court of appeals and Public Service Commission will qualify at the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office, 8585 Archives Ave. in Baton Rouge.

» Secretary of State Tom Schedler said that once a candidate qualifies, his or her candidacy will appear on the Secretary of State's Office website, www.sos.la.gov.

» To see who qualifies, visitors to the website should click on "Elections & Voting," "Get Election Information" and "Search for Candidates."